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Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt could return to the court before the start of the playoffs.
According to Jovan Buha According to The Athletic, there is “internal optimism” within the organization that Vanderbilt will be able to return before the Lakers’ final regular season game on April 14.
Although CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter initially reported Tuesday that the 24-year-old is “expected” to be unable to return, there still appears to be some hope he can help Los Angeles ahead of its playoff run.
Vanderbilt hasn’t appeared in a game since Feb. 1 due to a foot injury. He only competed in 29 total competitions during the 2023-24 season, as he missed the start of the year while dealing with bursitis in his left heel.
His minutes often fluctuated when healthy, as he bounced between the starting lineup and the bench. Before his foot problem, he was averaging 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field.
The Lakers have struggled after reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2023, currently owning the 9th seed in the conference with a 37-32 record. Los Angeles’ disappointing year can be partly attributed to the number of injuries the team has dealt with.
Vanderbilt point guard Gabe Vincent, center Christian Wood and forward Cam Reddish are all currently out. According to Buha, Wood is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season, although there is a “chance” he returns for a play-in tournament appearance. As for Vincent, there is less optimism about his potential return compared to Vanderbilt.
After being traded to the Lakers in February 2023, the former second-round pick played a significant role in the team’s conference finals run starting in 13 playoff games. Vanderbilt’s absence has particularly hurt the team’s defense in the 2023-24 season, as Los Angeles ranks 17th among all teams with a defensive rating of 115.5 (via NBA.com).
